Mobile Phone Application/Credit nightmare

LaxtonsSuperb

Hi all, I'm in a bit of a bind at the moment when it comes to my application for a mobile phone and was just wondering if anyone has any brilliant advice.

In pretty much every sense I've made a rod for my own back here, but of course hindsight is a wonderful thing etc

Anyway, basically my Orange contract came to an end, I requested my PAC, Orange offered me nothing decent at all over the half-dozen times I called and so I decided to plump for a deal on Talk Mobile from mobiles.co.uk - it was a 12 month deal and was good value and I was quite happy to take the redemption risk. However, upon applying I was quickly told I needed to put down a £100 deposit on the 'free' handset and that it would be refunded if the contract was going well - I took this as a change in the terms of the deal, I wasn't happy with it and I cancelled the order.

Now here's where I become a buffoon - I foolishly then almost immediately applied via e2save for another Talk Mobile contract with the same handset (yes I know, same company same network - the same thing will happen again) and yep the same thing happened again so again I cancelled.

I decided to give that whole operation a swerve and applied for a T-Mobile phone via buymobilephones.net again happy to take the risk re: redemption but was rejected by T-Mobile for a contract.

I assumed this was because I'd already applied for a couple of contracts, albeit immediately cancelled ones so it might look a bit odd so I waited a couple of days and tried a different T-Mobile deal (directly through them) and they again rejected me saying it was my credit status. This is obviously worrying and I'm now obviously hugely concerned that all of these applications are smashing hell out of my credit rating and leading to the famed, unwanted 'rejection cycle' - at first I didn't realise the cancelled applications would be a problem credit wise you see but it seems that they probably are.

In between applications however, I checked my score, looked over my report and everything is good - I have a high score (949) am rated 'Good' and there is nothing even mentioned about any phone companies looking at my report/details - this is why I'm so confused - I'm getting rejected but my credit report looks absolutely fine according to Experian.

I suppose my question is - why would none of it show up on my report? Why would I be rejected if the credit rating is fine and what should I do next (apart from STOP applying for phones in the immediate future), I need a new phone and am a bit of a loss as to what to do.

Thanks in advance forumers.

grumbler

Maybe because you checked Experian while the networks reported to Equifax? And what exactly have you checked: some 'report' or the whole credit file?

Also, only credit searches are recorded without any information about applications being successful or not.

LaxtonsSuperb

I just checked the free credit report thing with Experian, I tried to do likewise with Equifax today but their site was playing up so I'll try that again tonight as that's was what I thought it might be. Either way I guess I'm not getting a new phone any time soon

grumbler

I don't know what 'report' is. The credit files that are available for £2 have records of your credit accounts and credit searches.

LaxtonsSuperb

Ah I see sorry for the confusion, I guess it's a sort of summary - it says things like:

Number of times your credit report has been searched in the past 3 months: 0
Number of times your credit report has been searched in the past year: 1
Number of public information records on your report: 0
Number of Notices of Correction on your credit report: 0

Plus it states the number of credit accounts I have, the way they have been paid off ie whether I make the payments properly, it has a score, my outstanding debt, CIFAS info, that kind of thing

grumbler

This is just some summary (=report), not the file. However, if it says 0 searches, then I think there were no any recorded.

mobilejunkie

The fact you were asked to put down a refundable deposit suggests there is something else on your file which concerns them. The only time I've known anyone be asked for a deposit was when they're file wasn't great at the time.

LaxtonsSuperb

Had a look at my £2 statutory credit file and there's nothing at all untoward that would prompt them to ask for a deposit, literally nothing, however the refusals by T-Mobile - ie the 3rd and 4th phone applications - look more understandable given that the first two applications/checks are on there from 6th and 7th Sept (yes consecutive days, I'm an idiot, *shakes head at self*) - so I imagine T-Mobile saw that, rejected me and then saw today's application and rejected it again on the basis of the three applications, one of which was with themselves. I guess I'll just have to wait a couple of months or renew on a rubbish deal with Orange if I want a new phone.

LaxtonsSuperb

....I'll tell you what else doesn't help - the fact that my name is normally shortened - Chris from Christopher - and like a fool there seems to be no hard and fast rules about which version I've used in the past

smartphone

Not sure if it helps, but I believe two of the biggest things the networks look at is time with bank and if you are on the electoral roll or not. Worth bearing this in mind as well.

LaxtonsSuperb

Cheers smartphone but I'm all above board on both fronts, been on the electoral roll for beards at all of my addresses and also been with my bank since 1997. The frustrating thing is that I know my credit is fine but I can do nothing now but wait before I can get a new phone, in the meantime I'm on a hideously expensive rolling tariff with Orange (soon to be downgraded to PAYG using my old number) and using an antique old handset.....and I don't know how long to wait either before trying to get a contract. I've written to T-Mobile in the meantime pleading my case so we'll see what comes of that (nothing likely)